Recovery from flood continues in village

FORT PLAIN – The second “rebuilding day” organized by the Fulton-Montgomery Long-Term Recovery Committee was held in the village Saturday.

Matt Ossenfort, co-chairman of FMLTR, said the day was a reminder to the public the village still has not fully recovered from flooding in?June.

“This work is ongoing, we just have these days to highlight the work that’s being done,” he said.

In late June, floodwaters rose on the Otsquago Creek by several feet, causing a great deal of damage to parts of the village. While some homes and businesses have been able to recover – such as the reopened Save-A-Lot – others still need help.

On Saturday, about 25 volunteers helped on five projects. The work included the installation of windows and a garage door, as well as assisting a family with water, sewer and electric hook ups.

Dale Bridgewater?- owner of the house at 89 Reid St., which was severely damaged by the flood – said he appreciates the help from the community.

Bridgewater got help from Bill Gosslin on?Saturday. Gosslin, a volunteer from Burnt Hills, said he heard about the rebuilding day on the radio and decided to help out.

“As Dale would say, ‘God sent me here,'” Gosslin said.

Ossenfort said rebuilding days are a way to instill optimism in the village.

“[The event] reminds people that there is hope that things will get to the way they were before the flood,” he said

Pastor Gail Adamoschek, volunteer coordinator of the event, said the recovery might not be done for another three years.

“A lot of it is contingent on volunteers coming and helping,” she said. “The amount of volunteers coming in directly effects how long the restoration takes. We have a huge need for skilled and unskilled workers to come here because it really makes … a huge difference.”

Adamoschek said most of the first floors of the damaged houses have been gutted and are in the rebuilding phase. Adamoschek said she’s hoping all of the outside work will be done by Thanksgiving so volunteers can work on the insides of the houses during winter.